While Aston Villa’s previous signings this summer have done little to inspire fans ahead of the new season, the addition of Colombian midfielder Carlos Sanchez appears to have been met with overriding excitement.

Arriving from Spanish side Elche for a fee believed to be around £4.7 million, Sanchez appeared in four of his side’s five World Cup fixtures this summer, having won 44 caps since his 2007 debut, with his impressive performances also attracting interest from the likes of Everton and Queens Park Rangers.

Nicknamed “The Rock”, due to his solidity in the holding role, the 28-year-old spent six seasons with Valenciennes in France prior to moving to La Liga last August, and has even earned comparisons to his idol, Claude Makelele.

While few were enthralled with the additions of Joe Cole, Philippe Senderos, Kieran Richardson and Aly Cissokho, an overwhelmingly positive response has greeted Sanchez’s capture, not least for the fact that the club have at last splashed out a significant sum to bolster the squad.

Paul Lambert’s side have been craving a midfielder with the South American’s skillset for some time now and numerous fans took to Twitter upon the announcement of his arrival to express their delight, including club legend and compatriot Juan Pablo Angel.

Freddie Shires

Freddie is a freelance sports writer, having recently completed an MA in Sports Journalism at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham. With an especially keen interest in all things American sports-related, he has written extensively about the NFL, MLS and the U.S. national team for various sites.